COMPARISON

Pilot vs Fondo: Which is more reliable?

As you grow, your needs will change—bookkeeping and tax credits are just the start. What about accounting? Forecasting? Metrics? With Pilot, you get the complete package for every stage of growth.

Pilot saves me an entire executive salary. It’s a huge savings.

— David Petrou

Founder and CEO, Continua AI

See the differences

Pilot is a partner you can grow with

Pilot is a one-stop-shop financial partner: We specialize in the full suite of services startups need: bookkeeping, tax credits, tax filing, strategy, compensation plans, forecasting, metrics, and a fractional CFO to guide you through all growth challenges.

Investor-ready books

Pilot uses automation under the hood, but humans take responsibility. This ensures numbers are accurate and your financials leave investors impressed.

Integrated tax, credits, advisory

Pilot is full-service. We can do your taxes, provide a fractional CFO for modeling or fundraises, and apply for up to $500k in R&D tax credits.

Back-office automation

Pilot’s operations services team can free you up by handling invoicing, HR, banking, payments, and more.

With you from start to scale

Pilot’s early customers include OpenAI, Scale AI, Clay, Tola, and hundreds of startups that were successfully acquired.

Pilot is great for ...

Serious founders who can’t waste time.

When you need investor-ready financials.

Startups seeking true experts in their business model.

Venture-funded startups or those soon to raise

With Fondo, you’ll still need an accounting firm

Fondo specializes in tax credits, which is great if that’s what matters. But someone will still need to help you with compliance, audit-readiness, planning, and forecasting.

Narrow focus

Taxes and credits are just one type of accounting. If you want help with analysis, planning, forecasting, and metrics, you’ll need to hire for that separately.

Compliance risk

When you apply for tax credits, the IRS conducts an audit. To pass, you need airtight bookkeeping, which Fondo doesn’t provide.

Limited visibility

In online reviews, people ask, “If my tax credits dry up, what’s left?” Fondo just focuses on those credits. You’d need a CFO team like Pilot’s to plan beyond.

Fondo is a fit if …

All you need are tax credits and basic books.

You have a full in-house finance team.

Your tax situation is not complicated.

CUSTOMER STORY

Founders say Pilot helps them grow

In the early days of the software startup Element5, Joe, the CEO, would carve out a full week to prepare for each board meeting. And he still couldn’t make key decisions because he didn’t know the numbers. What markets should they enter? Which features should they prioritize? His Pilot fractional CFO now handles all that and saves him 15 hours per week.

Read Joe's story

Pilot saves me at least 15 hours every week. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.

Joe Randesi

Founder, Element5

Founders say Pilot gives them the confidence to grow

It’s so nice to have everything in one place. Before Pilot Tax, it felt like I was managing a million different tools.

Know your financials are accurate

Pilot’s process ensures that the numbers you see are true and you don’t have to always double-check.

Pilot was thorough and efficient. It was so nice to have our personal advisor lead the whole process.

Get advice that helps you grow

With Pilot, you get a whole team of experts so whatever arises with payroll, invoices, payments, fundraising, or company strategy, we can help.

Closing our pre-seed gave us runway to grow our business—not runway to become experts in QuickBooks and bookkeeping.

Pilot is an enduring partner

Pilot has been around for eight years and has raised $222 million and isn’t going anywhere.

We’ve been growing really quickly, and we’ve hired employees in different states and even different countries. Pilot helped with all the filings and made sure we were compliant.

Iba Masood

CEO and Co-Founder, Optimal AI

SEE THE DIFFERENCES

Founders love that Pilot is one-stop shop for trusted financials

Founded

2017

2023

Focus

Full accounting for venture-funded startups and growing businesses

R&D tax credits plus some light accounting services

Pricing

$600 – $2,000+ depending on size

$65 – $1,000 depending on size, tiered with credit incentives

Point of Contact

Your bookkeeper, your controller, or chat through the app

Fully automated; call customer support

Team structure

Well-organized 20-person service operations team

Lean product, engineering, and onboarding teams

Automated Bookkeeping

✅ Yes, but always human-reviewed for accuracy

✅ Fully automated, some customer support

CFO-Level Insights

✅ Expert-led, hands-on  strategy and financial modeling

🚫 Limited, with AI-generated financial summaries

Fundraising &  VC-Ready Financials

✅ Investor-grade reporting, due diligence support

🚫 Limited FP&A and strategic finance insights

Industry-Specific Expertise

✅ SaaS, eCommerce, AI, healthtech, and more

🚫 Limited to venture-funded companies usually in Silicon Valley

Pilot vs Fondo — FAQ

What is the main difference between Pilot and Fondo?

Pilot is a full-service accounting firm that covers bookkeeping, tax, R&D tax credits, FP&A, forecasting, and fractional CFO support. Fondo focuses primarily on tax credits with light bookkeeping, so most companies still need an accountant or CFO team alongside Fondo.

Does Pilot use automation like Fondo?

Yes. Pilot uses automation to streamline bookkeeping and workflows, but every transaction is reviewed by human experts to ensure accuracy. Fondo also uses automation but relies heavily on software-driven processes, especially around tax credit filings.

Which platform is more accurate: Pilot or Fondo?

Pilot is generally more accurate because all financials are reviewed and certified by trained bookkeepers, accountants, and CFOs. Fondo’s bookkeeping is more limited and automated, which may not provide the audit-ready accuracy required for tax credits or investor reporting.

Which is better for growing or venture-funded startups?

Pilot is designed for startups that need complete financial operations—from bookkeeping to CFO strategy to fundraising support. Fondo is best for early-stage companies that primarily want help with R&D tax credits and basic books.

Can Fondo replace a human bookkeeper or accountant?

No. Fondo specializes in credits and basic bookkeeping, but it doesn’t replace a full accounting function. Startups using Fondo typically still need a CPA, a controller, or a CFO team to manage forecasting, compliance, and investor reporting.

What happens if my business becomes more complex or grows quickly?

Pilot scales with you—across new revenue models, new states, accrual accounting, fundraising, and larger finance needs. Fondo’s scope is limited to tax credits plus simple books, so companies often outgrow it and need to supplement it with outside accounting support.

How does data portability compare between Pilot and Fondo?

Pilot uses QuickBooks as its accounting backbone, making your financial data portable and standardized. Fondo’s financial data structure is more limited and focused on credit calculations, so businesses switching away from Fondo often need to rebuild or clean their books.

Does Pilot include taxes, R&D credits, and CFO services?

Yes. Pilot is a one-stop financial partner offering bookkeeping, tax filing, R&D credits (up to $500k), CFO strategy, compensation planning, and forecasting. Fondo primarily offers tax credits and basic bookkeeping, with no expanded CFO or FP&A support.

Which is more cost-effective for startups?

Pilot pricing ranges from $600–$2,000+ depending on business size and needs. Fondo ranges from $65–$1,000 with incentives tied to credit amounts. However, companies needing accurate books, forecasts, and strategic finance usually spend more hiring additional providers on top of Fondo.

Can I switch from Fondo to Pilot?

Yes. Many startups migrate from Fondo to Pilot when they need more comprehensive accounting support. Pilot can reconstruct or clean historical books in QuickBooks to ensure accuracy before taking over ongoing bookkeeping and tax services.

Which option actually saves founders more time?

Pilot typically saves more time because founders get a dedicated team who manages books, tax filing, credits, financial modeling, and recurring reporting. With Fondo, founders still need to source experts for accounting, forecasting, and audit readiness.

Who is Fondo best suited for?

Fondo is best for early-stage startups that primarily need R&D tax credits and basic bookkeeping, especially if they already have an in-house finance or accounting team.

Who is Pilot best suited for?

Pilot is ideal for founders who want a full financial operations partner—bookkeeping, tax, credits, FP&A, forecasting, and CFO strategy—all in one place and scalable across stages of growth.

Is Pilot better for companies preparing for fundraising or due diligence?

Yes. Pilot specializes in investor-grade financials, board reporting, fundraising models, and due diligence support. Fondo does not provide the strategic finance or advanced reporting typically needed for venture funding.

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